Twelfth Night Party, Pontmercy style!

[lark_in_flight]

You -- yes, you, whoever you are -- got an invitation to the party. All of Milliways is welcome!

If you choose to come, you'll find Bar directing you to a big round tent that went up this afternoon on the lawn outside the bar. Marius and Cosette and various friends spent a lot of time this morning ferrying decorations in, and the waitrats spent a lot of time in the afternoon ferrying food in, but the doors won't officially open until close to sunset.

But this isn't a cheap white plastic tent, oh no. It's warm and domed and made of thick fabric, something like a very large yurt. A bit of magic keeps out the drafts, making everything extra cozy.

There's a fire in the middle of the floor, with a low screen encircling it but also magic meaning that this fire puts of warmth but will not actually burn anything, even if you step right into it. The floor is wood -- great for dancing, if you feel like it! There's a piano over against the wall for anyone who wants to make some music.

Everywhere there are garlands of European evergreen branches and herbs, studded with bright dried fruit and sparkling ornaments. (Mistletoe might very well be among them, though the Pontmercies haven't thought to supply that as an intentional party game.) There are candles and lanterns everywhere, and a big chandelier. There are no electric lights at all -- it's all fire -- but a good number of them are magical, so that nothing's going to get set on fire or covered with smoke. The general intended impression is of genteel, welcoming festivity, in a very French and very early 19th century European way.

There are food and drinks galore. Come in and enjoy the party!

[OOC: Party-style post! Subthreads for various categories and activities, etc. Open from now until whenever!

Edit: As of Joly's arrival, Cosette now has a mini-polaroid camera. Fear, Milliways. Feel free to assume that she's popped up to take a candid picture of your character(s) at any point, as long as they're not doing or wearing anything scandalous! She will happily give the resulting picture to your character if they want; it probably won't be a very good picture, in terms of composition or focus, but it will be cheerfully enthusiastic.]

Comments

Re: The Quiet Corner

[freedom_is_grey]

One of those people is watching him back, as is the mabari at her side.

"Do you mind company, Enjolras?" Ysalwen asks, smiling faintly.

"It's been some time."

Re: The Quiet Corner

[pro_patria_mortuus]

Enjolras rises to greet her with a slight bow, because gender norms of his society. But Ysalwen is something of a friend, and generally outside the gender norms of his society in any number of ways, and so he also gives her a small smile in return.

"Not at all. How have you been, you and yours?"

Whether that means your friends or your nation is, of course, up to Ysalwen.

Re: The Quiet Corner

[freedom_is_grey]

Ysalwen doesn't curtsy, just returns his slight bow with a nod of her own -- and a quick smile.

"We've been -- well. Uprisings and disasters have been the order of the day, but I'm no longer officially nobility, which means I can actually get things done. And -- I find I prefer that."

King Alistair's advisors are probably very happy about that. Not to mention the Queen.

"And you and yours?"

Re: The Quiet Corner

[pro_patria_mortuus]

"Uprisings?" Yes, of course he's focused instantly on that, with all party smiles faded into sober attention. Ysalwen didn't expect anything else, did she? "Of what sort, if I may ask? And in your Ferelden, or elsewhere?"

He has a much better idea of the geography and background of her world than the last time they talked, at least so far as books can provide. He's been reading up! Largely from her suggested reading list, but Enjolras has a lot of free time and the library has a whole lot of books.

"Oh--" right yes small talk "I'm fine, and my friends as well. That is, Milliways continues as ever."

Which is sort of a mixed bag, but he says it in a tone that's meant to convey well enough, no crises or new upheaval.

Re: The Quiet Corner

[freedom_is_grey]

"Mages against templars, with their allies taking sides, and the church -- "

She exhales.

" -- the church paralyzed under its own desire for one side to win. It's -- It's only gotten uglier."

So it goes, right?

"It's -- not really in Ferelden right now, because of how we restructured templar and mage schooling, and the like. But -- any moment now I'm sure there will be outpourings of violence. It -- "

Anyway.

Re: The Quiet Corner

[pro_patria_mortuus]

So it goes often enough to sound extremely familiar, yes.

"I'm sorry," he says, quietly and very sincerely, "to hear that."

"Though I'm glad to hear of the reforms. But--"

Enjolras, you are talking to a friend at a party.

He doesn't actually care about the party-dampening effect of sitting in the corner talking intensely about depressing politics. But he's aware of other people's different styles by this point in his life (well, afterlife) to cut himself off and say, instead, "I'm very interested to hear of this. It's important, and I know the struggles of your world towards equality and justice have been long and harrowing. But if you'd rather speak of lighter matters, Warden, I won't press you on them now."

If you want to head the depressing military/political strategizing conversation off at the pass now is your chance, Ysa.

Re: The Quiet Corner

[freedom_is_grey]

Ysalwen grins, quick and bright.

"If you think I approached to say hello because I hungered for small talk, Enjolras, you're very much mistaken. I -- it's almost a relief not to have to put down the work that I've picked up, when we talk, if that makes sense?"

Re: The Quiet Corner

[pro_patria_mortuus]

Enjolras laughs -- only a breath, but he does. Congratulations, Ysalwen.

Even he can see the humor in why would I come say hi to you if I wanted small talk instead of strategy, dude?, and in the fact that it's a completely accurate assessment.

He's serious again, though, when he answers, "Yes, it does make sense. And for my part, it's a relief to be of any service to a worthy cause."

He means that very, very deeply, though he's not going to make a big deal out of it. Milliways is an enforced idleness that he's extremely ill-suited for.

"So, then, what would be most useful to speak of first? The reforms in Ferelden, or its borders, or something else? I've read the books you suggested, and some others as well, but you'll know of the situation on the ground and up to the moment."

Re: The Quiet Corner

[freedom_is_grey]

"Any thoughts on how to go about changing the minds and hearts of men and women who have had Ages to grow fearful? I -- I don't know if a more outside perspective might see things more clearly. I'm far, far too close."

Her mouth twists.

"And any ideas on ways to pass information via people who may not be trained in such skills? Townsfolk, I mean to say, or farmers, or -- "

Re: The Quiet Corner

[pro_patria_mortuus]

Enjolras gestures absently towards the chairs: shall they sit?

(Another thing, mostly preexisting, which Ysalwen has just cemented: she definitely gets Treat Socially Like Another Man status. We remain sorry about the 19th century, everyone. But it will definitely make for easier and more comfortable conversation, even more consistently than before.)

"Do you mean military information, passed in secret? Or the dissemination of information, of ideas?"

"For the other -- I do have thoughts, though you may have had the same. Of course it's possible, but it's slow, always; that's the hardest part."

Re: The Quiet Corner

[freedom_is_grey]

Ysalwen takes one of the indicated chairs, Liranan settling himself at her side. She rests one hand on his head as she studies Enjolras, turning his words over in her head before speaking.

"Something like military information, at least some of the time. The rest -- words that it may be best to not have repeated. I am -- considering branching some of my efforts out into Tevinter, and smuggling slaves away from their masters is -- a new challenge."

Very, very new.

"We'll need allies for it, and I'd hate to bumble around ruining already-established lines of escape."

Re: The Quiet Corner

[pro_patria_mortuus]

"I see. Yes, certainly."

Hmm. Certainly a challenge, and one with high stakes, and an important goal.

"Let me say first that if you haven't spoken of this with Bahorel, you should. He'll have good ideas, and he knows the countryside far better than I."

Farmers, and also farmers' smuggling networks. Bahorel is a font of useful information! But Bahorel is also in the middle of an energetic dance right now, so Enjolras isn't going to try to call him over to join in.

"One thought is existing smuggling networks. Smuggling of anything, it must happen if there's a border. Of course not everyone who smuggles wine or silk to line their pockets is trustworthy in such a matter, and you'll need trustworthy people -- it's paramount -- but you'll need the skills too, and they'll have that. If you have anyone trusted who's connected to those networks, they can start to sound out who might be of your mind in this."

"Or perhaps veterans, whose allegiance is known and proved, who have settled down to farm, or who have family that does? That's coming at it from the other side: take those you trust, build a network from there, and see what skills and cellars you can find that might be of use."

"You're right that allies are paramount, and so is the need to not ruin what already exists. If you have trusted people -- vouched for, tested if you can -- you can teach at least something of techniques. And if they've had cruel lords, the farmers and peasants will have plenty of practice at concealing their secret thoughts already. It's a pity, but it's useful for such a network."

Re: The Quiet Corner

[freedom_is_grey]

Ysalwen's smile flickers across her face for a moment.

"Trustworthy smugglers and pirates -- I know a few. More every day, really."

Thanks, Isabela.

"Veterans -- that may be more difficult, as we'll need the disaffected ones from Tevinter, and I don't know how well they're watched. When they retire, I mean. Something else to ask Fenris, I suppose."

Hmm.

Re: The Quiet Corner

[pro_patria_mortuus]

Indefinitely watching your disaffected veterans is the kind of surveillance state that just wasn't possible in Enjolras's day; that came later, bit by bit. But he's read about it enough to just nod, with a grimace.

"If that's the case, then that's hard. But if they do have the freedom to act, they may know a great deal. And if they're already disaffected, already mistrusted, they have less to lose in acting. And again, if they're part of a network already, or they have old comrades that you know, then it's better for both of you. That's the only way networks grow, as I'm sure you know. One is vouched for, one tests if need be. They don't know you either, and if they're watched..."

"And you yourself keep watching, and testing. Of course you have to trust. That's the only way this works. But not blindly, especially with such stakes. An inner circle, of course, but beyond that -- a strong link can become a weak one, and you have to know."